1980s
1980:
The company officially changed its name to GWG Inc. in response to Bill 101 in Quebec, because 'Inc.' is the same in English or French.
GWG introduced Femme Fit jeans, designed to fit a woman's body.
Fifty Edmonton-based workers were laid off and GWG began to transfer management to Toronto.
GWG Eastern Limited opened a second plant in Brantford on Elgin Street.
Wayne Gretzky provided a celebrity endorsement for GWG: "I grew up in GWGs."
1981:
GWG expanded the Elgin Street plant in Brantford to 105,000 sq. ft., and LS&CO. opened a new finishing centre at 70 Easton Road.
Workers at the Edmonton GWG plant came from 16 different countries.
The time required to manufacture a pair of jeans was reduced to 12 minutes.
GWG gave 1.5% of its profits to the community. Employees raised funds through the Community Involvement Team (CIT) and determined how the money would be spent.
1982:
GWG introduced a new logo, a square with "GWG" inserted on the diagonal in the upper right hand corner.
Sales of GWG jeans began to decline due to the trend towards designer jeans.
The proportion of imports to domestically-produced garments increased significantly.
Arthur M. Hartman succeeded Erwin Mertens as president and general manager of GWG.
GWG Inc. and Levi Strauss Canada Inc. amalgamated to form Great Northern Apparel Inc., based in Toronto.
GWG laid off 50 employees in Edmonton as it began to transfer marketing, merchandising and administrative functions to Toronto. The workforce in Edmonton was reduced to 600.
GWG closed the Saskatoon plant, laying off 150 workers, and the Brantford production plant, laying off 268 workers.
1983:
Great Northern Apparel represented 3.5% of LS&CO.'s total sales.
GWG closed the Winnipeg plant, laying off 245 workers.
1984:
GWG laid off another 85 workers in Edmonton, reducing the workforce to 500 as a result of materials and labour shortages, consolidation of work within Eastern plants, increase in imports from LS&CO.'s plants in third world countries, and competition within the industry.
Edmonton's finishing centre closed, and laundry and pressing functions were moved to Brantford.
1986:
GWG introduced the marketing campaign History in the Making to commemorate its 75th Anniversary.
Ninety-three percent of GWG's workers were immigrants; for 70% of them, their first job in Canada was at GWG.
GWG focused on health and safety issues, noise and dust levels, and the use of safety glasses, soaps and protective creams.
1989:
GWG introduced the 900 Series, aimed for an older market.